Recipe

The salsa added to these black beans has all the flavors you need to turn simple canned beans into something worthy of the filet you’re putting on top of them.

Yield: Serves 4

Cooking time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, grated or minced (about 2 teaspoons)

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1 cup green chile salsa

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1½ cups)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus 4 whole sprigs for garnish

4 6-ounce beef filets (about ¾ inch thick)

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup canola oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)

1 ripe (or 2 tiny) Hass avocado

High-quality extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Lime, for squeezing over the avocado

Sea salt

Directions

Heat the olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and saute for about 1½ minutes, until the garlic is soft and fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't brown. Turn the heat up to high, add the salsa, and cook for about 2 minutes to warm it through, stirring often to keep the salsa from scorching. Add the black beans, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to warm the beans through and meld the flavors. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro.

Season both sides of each steak with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oil's almost smoking (you will begin to smell the oil at this point). Place the steaks in the skillet and sear them on one side for 2 minutes if you want them medium-rare, 4 minutes for medium. Flip the steaks, turn off the heat, and let them sit in the skillet until the skillet goes quiet, about 3 minutes.

Spoon the black beans onto four plates, dividing them evenly. Place the beef filets first-cooked side up on top of the beans. Halve the avocado, remove the pit, and cut each half crosswise into quarters. (If you're using tiny avocados, cut each avocado in half.) Remove and discard the peel and place one quarter on each filet. Drizzle the avocado with the high-quality olive oil, a few drops of lime juice, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Top with a sprig of cilantro.